About Us
Our story is brewed from a passion for connection.
Who Are We?
We are a mother-daughter team, passionate about IFS and passionate about supporting you serving your community in your best possible way.
Dr. Raphaela M. Carriere
Certified IFS Therapist & IFS Approved Clinical Consultant
Something that has been a driving force throughout my life is learning; both personal development and professional growth. I have set foot on hundreds of different lily pads in the learning waters. The thing that I’ve found brought everything together more than anything is IFS. That’s where I’ve found my home and the place that integrates in a harmonious way with what I’ve experienced in my life and everything I’ve learned.
The IFS model has helped me become internally more clear, hold deeper compassion, and engage with the world from authentic presence and curiosity. I wanted to build a home where I could support others to learn the beautiful nuance of IFS so you can experience it for yourself and help your clients experience the same thing.
I have a private practice serving the expat community in the Greater Geneva Area (Switzerland) with a global outreach. I live there with my husband of 27 years and our two dogs. Together we have three adult children.
"The ability to hold Self-energy with our clients is the key to the success of IFS Therapy. I am committed to supporting your work with clients through supporting your continued growth as a provider of IFS Therapy." –Raphaela
Training & Experience
Continuing education is of utmost importance to Raphaela’s practice and throughout her journey she has been privileged to have learned from remarkable teachers whose knowledge, experience and Self energy have been an inspiration to her. Their dedication to teaching the IFS Model and their Self led guidance has shaped her as a therapist and as a person. She is grateful to have trained with many amazing teachers and is thankful for the invaluable mentorship she has received along the way from Sally Burke, Joanne Gaffney, Paul Ginter, Toni Herbine-Blank, Olivia Lester, Liz Martins, Janet McCurdy, Paul Neustadt, Mariel Pastor, Laura Schmidt, Sue Smith and Nancy Wonder as her supervisors and/or Program Assistant/Staff leaders. She continues to seek new opportunities to work with and learn from amazing therapists, practitioners and other teachers.
Additionally, Raphaela has extensive experience with leading community-based organizations and she has co-moderated the Official IFS Community Facebook group for several years.
IFS trainings Raphaela has taken include...
- Deepening & Expanding with Osnat Arbbel
- Intimacy from the Inside Out with Nancy Wonder & Toni Herbine-Blank
- Complex Trauma & Neuro science with Frank Anderson
- Addictions & Eating Disorders with Mary Kruger
- Depression, Anxiety, and Shame with Ann Sinko and Mike Elkin
- Integrating IFS into Supervision/Consultationwith Liz Martins and Emma Redfern
- IFS and Attachemnt Trauma with Osnat Arbel
- IFS and Grief and Loss with Derek Scott
- IFS and Legacy Burdens with Osnat Arbel
- Direct Acces Workshop with Paul Neustadt
- The Gift of our Exiles with Paul Neustadt
- Trauma of Neglect with Colleen West
- Critic Camp with Chris Burris
- Shame Camp with Martha Sweezy
- IFS and Non Ordinary States with Stephanie Mitchell
- Daily Parts Meditation Practice with Michelle Glass
- Master Class: Healing Complex Trauma with Trauma Informed IFS with Colleen West
- IFS and Chronic Pain with Dick Schwartz
- IFS and Parenting with Frank Anderson
- IFS and Spirituality with Dick Schwartz
- IFS and Emotion Regulation with Chris Burris
- IFS and Life Dilemmas with Chris Burris
- Healing Medical Syndromes with Lissa Rinkin and Dick Schwartz
- Various IFS Continuity Program offerings with Dick Schwartz, Cece Sykes, Frank Anderson, and Patricia Rich
- Somatic IFS with Susan McConnell
- Creating Healing Circles with Chris Burris
- Grief Retreat with Ann Sinko
- IFIO Retreat Sexuality Matters with Nancy Wonder
- IFIO Couples Retreat with Toni Herbine Blank (scheduled April 2024)
- Heart Lessons of the Journey with Cece Sykes (Scheduled Oct. 2024)
- IFIO Advanced Level Training with Toni Herbine-Blank
- IFIO Advanced Level Neuroscience and Shame With Toni Herbine-Blank and John Palmer
- IFIO Advanced Level Betrayal and Repair with Toni Herbine-Blank and Janet McCurdy
- IFIO Advanced Level Sexuality Matters with Nancy Wonder and Larry Rosenberg
- Level 1 With Osnat Arbel
- Level 1 with Paul Ginter
- Level 2 IFIO with Toni Herbine-Blank and Nancy Wonder
- Level 2 with Mariel Pastor
- Level 2 IFIO with John Palmer, Ann Drouilhet, and Joanne Gaffney (Scheduled May & Aug. 2024)
- Level 1 with Liz Martins (Scheduled July, Sept. & Oct. 2024)
Celeste Ashlin van der Leij
Integrated Experience Specialist & Equine Coach
After having been homeschooled for the better part of my secondary education, I came to deeply know/understand my desire to live an autonomous and authentic life. I have been an architect of my own educational path seeking personal growth and professional development opportunities in whatever shape they may come. Part of that journey has been with IFS.
Apart from partnering with my mother in the IFS Community Cafe, as an Integrated Experience Specialist, bringing customer engagement, digital learning and holistic well-being, I support entrepreneurs in realizing their dreams. I am also an equine coach, having loved and learned with horses since I was two years old. I am passionate about animal welfare and creating a more sustainable lifestyle and lovingly devote all of my free time to my partner, our dog Sally, and the two horses that I co-own with my sister.
"IFS just felt right…I always want to be in or connected to spaces where people can speak easily about their parts. I’m deeply committed to creating those spaces." –Celeste
Training & Experience
Celeste is a jack of all trades and master at all things related to building and growing a community platform. She has invested a great deal of time in learning how to create the best spaces for learning and connection.
Celeste cares deeply about your experience and strives to provide a safe place in the community where you can come together both to connect and collaborate professionally as well as to socialize. Celeste is also dedicated to the further development of our learning cafe and her own continued education in this field.
Courses Celeste has completed that help her to shape this community include…
- IFS Online Circle with Richard Schwartz, Pam Krause & Toni Herbine-Blank
- Introduction to IFS through IFS Connect with Risa Adams & Marina Hazan
- IFIO introduction with Toni Herbine-Blank (currently enrolled)
- CX Customer Experience with Jason Friedman & Drew Groelinger
- Digital Course Academy with Amy Porterfield
- The Membership Experience with Stu McLaren
- Online XCHANGE Experience with Jon Berghoff
- The Woman-Centered Coaching Blueprint with Dr. Claire Zammit
- Feminine Power Essential Course with Dr. Claire Zammit
- The Influencer's Masterclass with Dr. Claire Zammit & Jean Houston
Hear What Jason Friedman Has To Say About Us
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Our Partnership, Family, and Self Leadership
It is said that some of the hardest relationships to navigate are those between mothers and daughters. We are lucky to be so close. Our regular meetings are infused with anecdotes from our daily lives, stories about our pets, and other things happening in our families. But we also talk parts as we’re both committed to our inner work.
As a mother and daughter, sharing your passions is wonderful. Working together is a real treat for us both. As a family business, we also enjoy the support of our partners, who keep us fed and nourished when we’re in the zone.
We aim to be a self-led business; in how we show up for each other, how we show up in our families, and how we show up for our community as we offer this space and invite you to deepen your connection with your Self energy.
THE 8 C’S OF US
(...And One P)
Working together allows us time to touch base and align our energies on so many levels.
Connection 
Our knowledge and skill set are so complimentary that when either of us gets stuck, the other knows how to bring clarity back.
Clarity 
Our minds work in similar ways and we love to brainstorm ideas together. Creativity flows through both of us and we both think a thousand steps ahead… sometimes we need to remind each other to slow down and start where we are.
Creativity 
Embarking on this business partnership has brought new dimensions to our relationship. We’re both deepening our connection to each other as we get to know some of each other’s parts we hadn’t experienced much of before.
Curiosity 
Working together just feels like a safe space, where there is an ease to be and where all parts are truly welcome.
Calm 
Every step of our working partnership so far has deepened our confidence in each other and in this partnership. We each know we can rely on the other to do their thing, know their stuff, and have each other’s back when things get hard. This enables us to bring our own special qualities to the business and to the community.
Confidence 
We have created a brave space to speak openly with each other, also about our fears and concerns about being in business together.
Courage 
When hard things come up, even during our meetings, we pause to hold space for each other’s parts as long as is needed before returning back to the task at hand.
Compassion 
Laughter and delight are a huge part of our collaboration.
Playfulness 
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